Mohamed Jinna A.J. – Reforming the World the Halal Way

Cochin Herald

“I alone cannot change the world; but I can cast a stone across the waters to create ripples.” Inspiring words befitting Mohamed Jinna, the dynamic Chairman of the United World Halal Development that has created global awareness about the Halal way of life with dedication.

Mohamed Jinna wears many hats with aplomb – he is a social activist, theological leader, philanthropist and entrepreneur. Determined to preach and spread an in-depth understanding of the goodness of Halal, Jinna has undertaken many initiatives that had far-reaching impact across the globe.

A rare combination of impressive personality along with an astute business sense makes Mohamed Jinna a leader par excellence. He has recognized the huge potential of the Halal tourism and food industry in Muslim and non-Muslim nations.

Leveraging the global presence of the United World Halal Development, Jinna joins forces with Halal industry giants, environmental scientists, theological scholars and governments to host the ‘World Halal Day’ on 1st of November, every year.

Jinna’s two-pronged approach- propagating the under-appreciated Halal concept and eradicating hunger has garnered a huge patronage from all sections of society. In the words of Jamal-Al-Shehab, the former Justice Minister of Kuwait, “Halal is more than meat and a normal human being should follow the Halal lifestyle. Though I am not a part of the Halal industry, I am a believer in this concept.”

The achievements and accolades that he has gained along the way are a testament to his dedication towards a worthy cause. He is a board member of Halal certifying bodies such as Halal India, Halal Nepal and Halal Bangladesh. Jinna has set up a consortium of business interest across nations and has been invited by more than 35 countries to present research papers, mediate discussions, give speeches and balance perspectives on alternative business strategies and sustainable living.

He is the Peace Ambassador for Bosnia and the recipient of the Islamica 500 Award, conferred to 500 most influential Muslim leaders across the world.

An identity

May it be a thinker, a revolutionary or a reformist, Jinna juggles many roles with ease and grace. His impressive profile and visionary outlooks propel national and international organizations to engage him in advisory and strategic roles.

Mohamed Jinna is the Executive member of the World Muslim Consumer Organization; Founding Chairman of the Nepal Food and Nutrition Council and SAARC Halal Council; Chairman of the Crescent Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Executive Director of the Arab Halal Authority. Jinna’s diverse global exposure equips him with the requisite skill set to envision products, initiatives and services that meet evolving needs of consumers and business communities, alike.

A man is more than his words; Mohamed Jinna’s actions speak volumes. He is genuinely concerned about economic disparity and issues of hunger and starvation that plague most developing and under-developed nations. To bind the world with the thread of humanity and empathy is his aim in life. Towards this end, his life keeps on revolving.

Mohamed Jinna holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and a Master’s Degree in Telecommunication and Networking, both from Jamal Mohamed College, Baharathidasan University in India. Thereafter, he pursued an Advanced Diploma in E-Commerce from Singapore and became the Chairperson of the Singapore-based United World Halal Development. He also holds a Diploma in Islamic Banking and Finance from the UK and is certified in Halal Auditing and Shari’ah Compliance from Malaysia.

Jinna is the man behind the two-day international event and forum, the World Halal Day, which is held in different countries every year. The festival was inaugurated in Puducherry, India, in 2015. The objectives of the event are not limited to spreading awareness about Halal or boosting halal trade and industry. It has a broader, philanthropic mission to:

Help create sustainable, harmonious life.

Reduce wastage of food.

Fulfill basic human needs of food and nutrition.

Work towards creating a ‘hunger-free’ world.

In 2016, Jinna launched a Food Bank in Puducherry that feeds more than 500 deprived people in a day. Restaurants, banquets and hotels in the area donate their left-over or excess food to the food bank and this is fed to people who cannot afford a decent, square meal in a day. This not only fills empty stomachs but also helps reduce food wastage. There are concrete plans to set up more such food banks in the coming year in five more areas in Puducherry.

Jinna solicits governmental and non-governmental support for his philanthropic mission. The ultimate aim of his endeavour is to make Puducherry a hunger-free city by 2030. He campaigns and networks extensively to extend his ‘hunger-free city’ campaign to six countries.

Continuing on his selfless path, he has announced plans to hold the 2018 World Halal Day in Doha, Qatar. Just like in previous years, the international summit will bring together world leaders and entrepreneurs who share Jinna’s passion for humanity and humankind. The much-anticipated global event has the following objectives:

Food for all

United against hunger

Preserve the nature

Strive to build one common community

Other notable contributions of this visionary leader include but are not limited to:

As the founder and active member of multiple organizations, Mohamed Jinna aims to bring holistic societal development that bridges disparity between the rich and the poor, the Muslim and the non-Muslim, and the endowed with the deprived. His compassionate outlook reflects in all his endeavours and resonates in all his actions.

Preaching Halal lifestyle

Jinna feels that Halal is an under-appreciated and often misunderstood concept. While traditional Halal maxims applied only to dietary regulations, today Halal has become synonymous with a peaceful, ethical and harmonious lifestyle. It’s a coherent parameter designed for health, safety and human welfare. It finds relevance in food, cosmetics, lifestyle products, pharmaceuticals, logistics, clothing, finance, hospitality and banking.

Jinna says Halal refers to actions and practices that are compliant with the Shariya or Islamic law. He strongly believes that “Halal is not only for Muslims – it’s for the entire Mankind”. Also, he wants to share his thoughts with the community that Halal is not only limited to food or especially meat or meat-based products, Halal is the lifestyle of all Mankind.

Jinna envisions Halal principles to become as pervasive as other movements such as organic or gluten-free. For this to become a reality, Halal awareness needs to be spread far and wide. Jinna’s brainchild, the World Halal Day, aims to mobilize interest in Halal trade, tourism and infrastructure sectors. He also brings to the forefront issues plaguing the Halal industry and brainstorms solutions with industry experts and social activists like himself. Together they wish to create a community high on tolerance and sustainability.

Jinna is working with Islamic scholars to prepare a holistic syllabus for high schools and colleges that focus on the clear distinction between Halal and Haram and also bridges gaps between the 6th century historical principles and 21st century requirements. Jinna is working tirelessly to bring together all global Muslim scientists to form an International Muslim Scientist Federation. The federation will direct efforts and research to develop alternative Halal medications such as insulin and meningococcal vaccines. Jinna works with economists and entrepreneurs in devising efficient supply chains for niche Halal products.

A self-driven motivator, Mohamed Jinna has spread the message of Islamic law and Halal principles in over 82 countries. He travels extensively (3,008,060 miles on the last count) and has delivered impressive presentations in international conferences across Japan, Maldives, Korea, Croatia, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand, France, USA and UK. Jinna is the trainer and facilitator of the “I am Khalifa” training program that is responsible for grooming high-performing individuals into Halal leaders.

The rationale behind Jinna’s efforts is not to create silos of Halal and non-Halal folks but to create a bridge between them so that more and more people can adopt the Halal way of life. His logic is simple – if the Halal movement is adapted to the modern times, it can gather more momentum.

Business with the faith

As the Halal industry evolves from butcher shops to Michelin-starred restaurants, Halal purists worry about Halal losing its basic essence. But Jinna embraces change. He understands that the growing Muslim middle class craves luxury and variety. They want to be able to enjoy Halal hotdogs, shop for Halal products online and stay in Halal hotels. The internet and social media have increased awareness among consumers. There is a tremendous scope for capturing this booming untapped market. In other words, the Halal industry means big business. Jinna welcomes the winds of change.

He facilitates networking and collaboration between entrepreneurs, investors and governments through his forums and events. Though marketers acknowledge the scope of business in this area, they are trying to understand the needs and preferences of Muslim consumers. By Jinna’s knowledge-exchange mechanisms, products and services that fulfill Islamic norms can be created or existing products can be aligned to Halal regulations.

Jinna provides start-ups and enterprises with consultation on Halal standards, audit and certification. He is applying concerted efforts to institute a legislative Halal certifying body. He has assembled a team of experts from all major industry verticals with wide experience and skills to nurture a holistic Halal ecosystem.

Today 70% of native seeds have disappeared and has became GMO (Genetically Modified) or GE (Genetically Engineered). His mission is to save or protect the Native Seeds, that God has gifted to the mankind as a whole. His management consultation services offer businesses with the “Halal Advantage” and stride ahead in these competitive times.

Riding on a wave of green, sustainable living, Jinna has positioned his United World Halal Development (UWHD) firm as a one-stop destination for businesses aiming to appeal to modern millennial consumers who are aware, educated and enlightened. Halal principles of hygiene, health, sympathy and peace, are a perfect fit for the present eco-friendly culture. Jinna’s knowledge of Halal principles and his ability to adapt the 6th century Islamic laws to the 21st century sensibilities is astounding. His enterprise and integrity helps his clients make inroads in the huge Halal market.

Jinna’s UWHD offers a full array of services ranging from Halal product innovation to professional training, Halal consultation, international accreditation, trade shows and expos, and CSR projects. The firm has serviced corporate clients across all industries and domains and helped young professionals set up small and medium-sized enterprises in the Halal industry. Jinna imparts advisory and consultation for the development of cutting-edge tools and technologies such as Halal Management Systems, Halal Certification Tracking System, Certification Security and Monitoring System, SMART phone applications development, SMS and Email Marketing tools, Global Halal Raw Material Database Management Systems, etc.

Jinna organizes a global event “Food – Water – Environment” every year. He invites global intellectuals and scientists, theologist to finding solutions for the current Global warming effects to protect our future generations in the earth. Water used to be natural resource 15 years ago, but today water has became a “commodity”.

Mohamed Jinna with Mrs. Najma Heptullah, Governor of Manipur, during the Memento presentation at the Conference of Food – Water – Environment in New Delhi.

Though the Halal Industry is a lucrative avenue for businesses, the path to reach it is paved with roadblocks such as regressive Islamic mindset and fierce competition from cheaper non-Halal products and services. To battle these impediments, Jinna invests heavily in enlightening masses about the real connotation of Halal. He also strives to innovate and create new business models that can yield profit without compromising on rigid religious sentiments.

The Halal tourism industry, in particular, presents amazing scope for expansion and growth and Jinna is not blind to this development. Halal hotels with prayer chambers, separate swimming pools and spas for men and women, favourable alcohol policies, and Halal menu options are very popular with Muslim tourists. But there exist no standard regulations for Halal hotels or airlines. Jinna is working with government regulatory bodies and accreditation organizations to develop a regulatory framework and audit system.

Jinna is pioneering the cause of the entire Halal community. His strong voice and rational thinking have made him a force to reckon with in business circles. Jinna also finds favour with governments and orthodox Muslim segments. This precarious balancing act is nothing short of an impossible feat, and Jinna has mastered it to the tee.

Continue to strive and grow

To try and to fail is not failure; the only real failure is to not try at all. Mohamed Jinna lives these words. His real achievement is of bringing together intellectuals and religious purists and then providing them with a platform where they can discuss issues rationally and devise solutions amicably. Blessed with superior foresight and tremendous energy, Mohamed Jinna has proved that everything is achievable if the right intentions and persistent efforts are applied.

Religion should not divide, it should unite and nurture. By collaborating with Halal communities across the globe, Jinna has proved that humanity is the biggest religion of all.

Together we build a healthy world – Halal is a way of life to mankind.